News & analysis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, by Matthew Stiegler

New opinions — ripeness and arbitratrability

Having already removed his first set of appointed lawyers, a capital inmate moved to remove the next set of lawyers, too. While his motion was still pending, he filed a notice of appeal, and some time after the district court denied the motion. Today, the Third Circuit dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction, holding that the district court’s post-notice ruling did not cure the lack of ripeness.

The opinion was per curiam; the panel was Smith, Hardiman, and Restrepo. The case was decided without argument.

The Third Circuit today reversed a district’s denial of a motion to compel arbitration, holding that the challenges to arbitration failed because they applied to the contract as a whole instead of the arbitration agreement alone, and thus were issues for the arbitrator to decide instead of grounds to avoid arbitration.

Joining Greenaway were Jordan and Hardiman. Arguing counsel were Thomas Quinn of Wilson Elser for the appellant and Louis Barbone of Jacobs & Barbone for the appellee.